WSOP Main Event: $8,548,435 and a bracelet

The people who pay very close attention to the World Series (read: media types like us) are fascinated by the numbers--entrants, prize pools, places paid, and how much the big winners will make. We guess at it, bet on it, and wait with bated breath for the moment the numbers come out.

Just as the players went to dinner tonight, WSOP Tournament Director Jack Effel took the mic and gave us our moment.

A total of 6,494 people entered the 2009 World Series of Poker Main Event. That's down from last year's total of 6,844 but up from 2007's 6,358. This year, the runners are fighting over a prize pool totaling more than $60,000,000.

The top 648 players are going to walk away with at least $21,365. Everyone who makes the final table is going to bank at least $1.2 million. The winner will walk away with $8,548,435 (but not until November, as the WSOP is once again delaying the final table until autumn).

Only one a year

Players are now returning from dinner to play another two levels before the end of the night and breaking until their Day 2 on Wednesday.